Gratitudes March 31

1. Jo got my car fixed yesterday and it saved me, I think, hundreds!
2. He drove me to school
3. and we had a nice time in the car
4. he picked me up
5. On time
6. got the car and it is done phew
7. We stopped at bank so I could pay him for the 3 things I owed. I’m so glad.
8. And he was there when my mother called crying. I’m glad he was there to share and about his mother and patience and acceptance. (Him about patience and me about acceptance).
9. This afternoon I will read the 5 mindfulness trainings with D. Grateful.
10. Yesterday’s special thing went great!
11. Jo should be checking my bed today. SOMETHING is biting me! Orkin man said no bedbugs or anything. But something…
12. Having bathroom electricity again is so nice. So glad that got fixed.
13. I’m glad I work and can afford things I need phew.
14. “need.” I said need and of course we feel we need bathroom electricity, for example, but really these things are all more than we *need.* I have much more than I literally, actually NEED
15. That I no longer walk around in a state of overwhelming fears. Omg Thank You.
16. I am SO grateful that I am a FULL PERSON now!
17. I like having “The Middle” on in the background. It’s just cheerful.
18. Meditating with the kids!
19. I am SO grateful that I can see
20. and that I have enough food
21. I am so grateful for my routines
22. so that laundry is always fine
23. foods always fine
24. straightening is good
25. bed,
26. den,
27. bathroom,
28. kitchen,
29. dishes etc all good
30. I am so grateful that I don’t obsess and go crazy over the day/time though either. For example laundry is USUALLY Sundays, but can be Sat, or if off can even be Fri or Mond – and it’s all good
31. I am so grateful that I can walk
32. and type
33. and play piano
34. and speak
35. and drive
36. so grateful for my house!
37. and my car!
38. and my beautiful, BEAUTIFUL birds!
39. and that I take good care of them
40. and myself!
41. so grateful that I’m not spreading gossip
42. and so so grateful for the Five Mindfulness Trainings – here they are: http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/the-5-mindfulness-trainings/
43. So grateful for laughter
44. and the other pepole who appreciate it too
45. grateful for everything I’ve read that’s contributed to who/where I am
46. including the Tree bok from my father when I was about 10
47. and the Birds one too
48. and Gone with the Wind, which he brought me when I was a teen
49. And books i just tremendous enjoy
50. like The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
51. grateful for the book club so we kind of see each other and talk a bit once a month
52. grateful for everyone with compassion
53. grateful, so grateful for water
54. and luxury like makeup
55. soap
56. detergent
57. my cleaning ady. every other week ahhh
58. grateful for people who keep confidences
59. including me
60. and for people who are honest
61. including me
62. people who help each other
63. including me
64. grateful for my feet
65. they work for me
66. they are pretty
67. and – they do. not. hurt. anymore. oh thankful!
68. haha I just remembered, I even dreamt about the:)
69. positive memes
70. tweeting. i didn’t know i’d like it, but i do (I do it like 3 – 4 times a week)
71. art
72. crafts
73. my enjoying crocheting so much right now
74. my enjoying my stitch n zip so much too
75. books
76. that i can read
77. that I help others read!
78. that i get paid to do it!
79. greeting cards
80. the meeting yesterday
81. that i did get to it
82. i like those people
83. i led
84. it went well
85. i’m not suffering over food right now, these days. that is a miracle, and i am very grateful!
86. furniture. i always remember ji telling me about a … long story… but when they wound up with beach chairs in their living room…
87. books for my students. many. good.
88. that aides help with the correcting so much!
89. stickers
90. blingy stickers
91. scripts
92. my WW journal
93. tomorrow is a WW meeting yay
94. and i’ll see my mother
95. and maybe – MAYBE go to an OA meeting too
96. and probably tomorrow or sunday a pedi (it has been 3 weeks:)
97. i am so fortunate to have all these luxuries
98. i love the paining i made at paint nite, that is on my mantel:)
99. my breakfront with the beautiful things on display (not dishes lol)
100. my bathroom. So grateful to HAVE  a bathroom

Journal March 31

First prayers:
God, I offer myself to Thee. To build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help, of Thy Power, Thy Love, And Thy Way of Life. May I do Thy will always, amen.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

I want to be grateful for EVERYTHING. And I’m getting more that way. Like these itches. Oy, but maybe I am or will be learning something from them. Plus I’m grateful to have doctors, and Orkin just in case something is in this house, and Jo to check again for me…

I plan a wonderful day of acceptance, gratitude, joy, and giving joy!

Affirmations March 31

My life is so wonderful!
Life is eternal and filled with joy.
I look forward to every moment.
Life is eternal and filled with joy.
I look forward to every moment.
Life is eternal and filled with joy.
I look forward to every moment.
Life is eternal and filled with joy.
I look forward to every moment.
Life is eternal and filled with joy.
I look forward to every moment.

I am good.
I am competent.
I am confident.
Everything at work goes well!

I am beautiful.
I am smart.
I am funny.
I am desirable.
I am lovable.
I am loved.
Everything in my personal life goes well!

The Universe is taking perfect care of me!
All is well!

Readings March 31

How to Love:

IMMEASURABLE MINDS

Loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity are described as unlimited states of mind because they continue to grow and they cannot be measured. The more you practice, the more you see your love growing and growing until there is no limit. The more you practice compassion, the more it grows. The more you cultivate joy, the more joy you will feel and be able to share. The more you understand, the more you love; the more you love, the more you understand. They are two sides of one reality. The mind of love and the mind of understanding are the same.

My takeaway: Yes, I have grown in understanding.

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How to Sit:

SITTING TOGETHER

Sitting alone is wonderful. Sitting with a friend makes meditation easier. There is a Vietnamese phrase that goes like this: “When you eat rice, you need to have soup.” When you practice mindfulness, you have to have friends. When we sit together, we create a collective energy of mindfulness that is very powerful. When we sit with others, we profit from their quality of being and we profit from everyone’s practice. We don’t need to say a lot, but we become a collective organism and together we produce insight. When we sit together, each one of us contributes to the quality of the whole. This collective energy is more powerful than our individual energy. Sitting together is like allowing the water in the stream to be embraced by the ocean. When we hear the sound of the bell, everyone is breathing mindfully and creating a collective energy of mindfulness. The collective energy is very supportive and effective in helping us gain insight and transform difficulties. As a practitioner we can benefit from that energy to help us embrace our pain and our suffering. You can say silently, “Dear brothers and sisters in the Sangha, this is my suffering. Please brothers and sisters, please help me to embrace this pain and this suffering.”

My takeaway: I do much prefer sitting with others….

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How to Eat:

NOURISHING OURSELVES WITH MINDFULNESS

We all know that sometimes we open the refrigerator and take out an item that is not good for our health. We are intelligent enough to recognize that. But still we go ahead and eat it to try to cover up the uneasiness within ourselves – we consume to forget our worries and our anxieties and to repress negative energies like fear and anger. Instead of consuming when a feeling of anxiety comes up, invite the energy of mindfulness to manifest. Practice mindful walking and mindful breathing to generate the energy of mindfulness, and invite that energy up to take care of the energy that’s making you suffer. If we can practice like this, we’ll have enough of the energy of mindfulness to take care of our fear, our anger and other negative energies.

My takeaway: Wow! If we can practice like this we’ll have enough of the energy of mindfulness to take care of our fear, our anger and other negative energies? Wow! So practice mindful walking and mindful breathing to generate the energy of mindfulness, and invite that energy up to take care of the energy that’s making you suffer. Practice, and invite that energy up. I love this so much!

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How to Walk:

THE AWARENESS OF LOE

Walking mindfully, with love and understanding, we can become deeply aware of every single thing on this planet. We notice that the leaves on the trees are a startling light green in spring, a vibrant green in summer, rich yellow, orange, and red in autumn, and then in winter, when the branches are bare, the trees continue to stand tall, strong, and beautiful, harboring life deep inside. Mother Earth receives the fallen leaves and breaks them down to create new nourishment for the tree so that it can continue to grow.

My takeaway: Reminds me of TNH’s nun in London who told me, “Take your troubles and give them to Mother Earth. You won’t hurt her. She will transform them into spring.” xoxoxo

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How to Relax:

NO BLAMING

When you plant a tree, if it doesn’t grow well, you don’t blame the tree. You look into the reasons it isn’t doing well. It may need fertilizer or more water or less sun. We never blame the tree. Yet we’re quick to blame our child. If we know how to take care of her, she will grow well, like a tree. Blaming has no good effect at all. Never blame, never try to persuade using reason and arguments; they never lead to any positive effect. That is my experience. No argument, no reasoning, no blaming, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.

My takeaway: And to not blame SELF either!

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Gratitudes March 30

1. Great visit with my mother yesterday. So grateful!
2. Her new aide, F, is lovely. Thank God!
3. I felt amazing yesterday morning!
4. Little E, with giant smiled, said yesterday afternoon: “This feels like a very special day!” Oh, I’m so glad I could give that!
5. They ALL seemed so happy.
6. Tr was back. Yay.
7. 5 extra special things coming up within a week, maybe 6. Wow.
8. NOT overloaded with activities this coming weekend.
9. Car getting fixed today!
10. Bathroom electricity was fixed yesterday!
11. Just read this: “When we take the time to take care of our emotions with mindfulness and compassion, then we can just eat. We can enjoy our food without craving and develop a healthy and positive relationship to eating.” Thank you, Thich Nhat Hanh
12. My blessed eyesight
13. My beautiful job
14. My wonderful life
15. My adorable home
16. My great car
17. and that it is safe
18. and that it is comfortable
19. watermelon right now at breakfast wow
20. friends
21. these students ❤
22. mindfulness
23. meditation
24. Thich Nhat Hanh
25. my hands
26. my laptop
27. my Nook
28. my iPad
29. my iPhone
30. my relationships at work

More later – rushing out:)

Journal March 30

Leaving very early today. Must go do.
VERY grateful for so much.
Trying to be grateful for EVERYTHING, even the “bads.”
xoxo

Readings March 30

How to Love:

NOURISHING CONSCIOUSNESS

The fourth source of nourishment is collective consciousness and individual consciousness. Our individual consciousness is influenced by the collective consciousness of our environment. We absorb and reflect what is around us. If we live in a place where people are angry and violent, then eventually we’ll become like them. If we live in a family or community where there’s a culture of being understanding and compassionate with each other, we’ll naturally be more peaceful and loving. children growing up in such an environment will learn to be caring and kind.

My takeaway: And we can add to it too!

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How to Sit:

SITTING WITH OUR SPIRITUAL ANCESTORS

When you sit, you are sitting with your blood ancestry, but you are also sitting with your spiritual ancestors as well. Your spiritual ancestors are also part of you. You can invite those who inspire you; you can invite Moses, Jesus, or Mohammed to breathe in with you and enjoy breathing. They are also in every one of our cells.

My takeaway: LOVE this! Never thought to do! Yay!

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How to Eat:

EATING OUR FEELINGS

We human beings have many feelings, both positive and negative. Some people tend to eat more when they’re joyful, while others tend to eat less. Some people eat when they are sad or upset as a way of eating their feelings, hoping the feelings will go away. Food becomes a craving then, rather than a source of nourishment. if we don’t attempt to look deeply to understand our craving, it will grow. When we take the time to take care of our emotions with mindfulness and compassion, then we can just eat. We can enjoy our food without craving and develop a healthy and positive relationship to eating.

My takeaway: Oh my gosh: When we take the time to take care of our emotions with mindfulness and compassion, then we can just eat. We can enjoy our food without craving and develop a healthy and positive relationship to eating. Yes. Oh yes.
Big deep breath of relief. Literally just now. ❤

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How to Walk:

WALKING IN THE CITY

Try to practice mindful walking in your daily life. When you go to the bus stop, make it into a walking meditation. Even if your surroundings are full of noise and agitation, you can still walk in rhythm with your breathing. In the commotion of a big city, you can still walk with peace, happiness, and an inner smile. This is what it means to live fully in every moment of every day of your life.

My takeaway: Yes! I have been trying to live every moment and to walk in happy walking meditation every step. (Which means I’m probably up to like 1% lol). It is beautiful. I mean, shouldn’t we be enjoying and living fully in every moment of every day of our lives?

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How to Relax:

COMPASSION FOR YOURSELF

Don’t consider an,ger hatred and greed as enemies you have to fight, destroy, or annihilate. If you annihilate anger, you annihilate yourself. Dealing with anger in that way should be like transforming yourself into a battlefield, and tearing yourself to bits. If you struggle in that way, you do violence to yourself. If you can’t be compassionate to yourselv, you won’t be able to be compassionate to others. When we get angry, we have to produce awareness: “I am angry. Anger is in me. I am anger.” That is the first thing to do.

Breathing in, I feel my anger.
Breathing out, I smile.
I stay with my breathing
so I won’t lose myself.

My takeaway: I love everything about these! xoxo Thank you thank you!

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